Photo of the Day: Venice's Worst Floods in 22 Years
by Kimberley D. Mok, Montreal, Canada on 12. 3.08
Image: Flooding in Piazza San Marco (Photo: AFP/Getty)
The venerable city of Venice, named by UNESCO as one of the World Heritage sites threatened by climate change, was inundated by five feet of water (1.5 metres) yesterday. More than 95 percent of the old city centre - including many tourist sites - were flooded. The rise in sea levels was caused by consistently high southerly winds, heavy rain and snowfall in northern Italy. Because of its geographic location, situated on marshy islands and inlaid with a network of canals, Venice endures frequent flooding during high tides (most recently, 50 floods between 1993 and 2002). The city hopes to build a system of mobile walls to stave off future flooding, but the scheme will not be completed until 2012.
The Telegraph (more photos)
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I live about 20kms from Venice city and I can confirm that it is almost as bad as the 1966 flooding. Venice is subject to high water every year but with rising sea levels it makes the work to protect the city a loosing battle. Venice has been around for over 1000 years and it would be such a shame to loose such a beautiful city. I think Venice will be one of the first losses to climate change. Ironically the centre-right government of Mr. Berlusconi wish to avoid any work towards fighting climate change while one of his cities sinks.
I'm not sure I want to really know the answer but what does Venice do about sewage treatment - even when it is not flooded?
Larry:
I recall the Gondola tour guide saying they have boats going up and down the river treating it in-place.
The Gondola tour guide *also* made it a point to say that rising water due to global warming means even the low tide is higher than before and the floods are getting worse.
Technically Venice has been flooded for years. The buildings are built upon limestone which is resistant to erosion from water. However, the water level has risen above that and is causing the brick to crumble from the salt that remains on the brick.
As much as I believe that we are polluting our atmosphere with toxins put into the atmosphere as a result of burning fossil fuels, I don’t believe that the flooding in Venice is a reason to rally around global warming. In fact a quote from a European new report, “early season conditions in the Alps this week as the heavy snow just keeps on falling and temperatures remain very low.” Good for the glaciers and doesn’t sound like global warming to me.